The use of a separately attached lifting member in conjunction with a toilet seat has been suggested in U.S. Pat. Nos. 275,838, 723,973 and 985,535. However, it has been recognized now that the use of separately attached lifting devices does not meet the needs of modern society.
First, the separately attached lifting devices inherently create a nesting place for unwanted organisms to form between the lifting device and the toilet seat. Such nesting place will exist in the interface between the lifting device and the toilet seat, or in any depression that may be made in the toilet seat to accommodate the lifting device.
Yet another consideration is the possibility that the separately attached lifting devices can be removed by vandals. This can provide a particular monitoring problem to hotels, restaurants and other public places once it is known that the separable lifting devices can be readily separated from the toilet seat.